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Everything You Need to Know about Bar Sinks
Do you want to renovate your kitchen? If this is the case, we can assist you by providing all relevant information about the best sink. The best bar sink for your space will enhance the style and functionality of your kitchen.
When the average kitchen sink is occupied, a small bar sink helps to prevent the pile-ups and waiting lines if a dish needs cleaning or table scraps need to be run through the garbage disposal. A bar sink, also known as a prep sink, adds beneficial accessibility to open spaces and corners of the kitchen that may be too far from a faucet.
There are numerous applications for a second sink in the kitchen, and if you have the space for one, there are a few reasons not to install one. There are so many questions in your mind like; how to measure the size of the bar sink? Let’s see everything you need to know about bar sinks.
What Exactly Is a Bar Sink?
A prep sink, wet bar sink, or entertaining sink is another name for a bar sink. These secondary sinks come in various shapes and sizes, but they are all easily identified by their smaller dimensions. While standard kitchen sink sizes range from 22″ to 33″ wide, a bar sink will only be 9 12″ to 18″ wide on the widest side.
Bar sinks are designed to allow multiple tasks in the kitchen to be completed at the same time, making them ideal for large family kitchens with multiple cooks or when entertaining guests. They are an excellent location for a quick wash or clean of a drinking glass, as well as the installation of a hot water dispenser that is out of the way but easily accessible.
For entertaining, fill the bar sink with ice to keep drinks cool and ready for guests to grab. The majority of bar sinks are placed near an open countertop space, such as a cutting board, an island, or a stovetop. When paired with a garbage disposal system, this makes the prep sink an easy place to sweep away food prep debris.
Bar Faucet
Because prep sinks are smaller in size than standard kitchen sinks, they require a different bar faucet than a standard kitchen sink. Bar sink faucets have a relatively narrow profile than most standard sink kitchen faucets, but they are accessible in all of the same styles and finishes, allowing the bar sink to blend in with the rest of your kitchen suite’s fixtures.
Look for a single-hole prep or bar sink faucet or a three-hole faucet with a smaller spread and narrow escutcheon plate if necessary.
Styles of Bar Sinks
Because of the size of the bar sink, a variety of shapes and a customized appearance to the final installation are possible. They require a hole to be cut in the countertop, so look for sink size and shape options that match the sink you’re replacing.
The best kitchen sink is one that is configured to fit how your family uses the space. Wet bar kitchen sinks come in a variety of styles to help your kitchen work smarter, not harder, while still looking good. The bowl configuration is one of the first options to consider.
Single bowl sinks, which are typically found as a narrow, single basin sink, are the most common bowl configuration for a prep sink. These can easily fit into kitchen islands between appliances, alongside the kitchen sink, or even in the den or outdoor kitchen’s home bar.
Popular entertaining sinks, also known as entertaining troughs, are long and narrow, shallow, channel-shaped sinks designed to catch scraps, liquids, or ice. The following are the most common shapes for prep and bar sinks:
- Oval
- Round
- Square
There are also more unique bar sink depth shapes available, such as the entertaining trough, which can be a longer oval shape, rectangular sink, and straight or curved.
Materials For Bar Sinks
For knowing how to choose bar sinks, you should know bar sink materials’ details. Bar sinks are designed to be unobtrusive, even hiding beneath a cutting board. This is not to say that they aren’t meant to look as good as a standard-sized kitchen sink and perform just as well.
Choosing the suitable basin and bar sink faucet materials entails matching them to the style of the other fixtures in the room to ensure a unified look for the entire kitchen. The most common types of bar sink materials are:
- Stainless steel
- Copper
- Porcelain, ceramics, and fireclay
- Cast iron
- Natural Stone
- Brass
A bar sink is available in the same finishes and materials as a kitchen sink. It’s a good idea to choose a prep sink that complements the finish and style of the kitchen sink.
Installation Options For A Bar Sink
When installing a bar or prep sink, there are several mounting options available, each of which produces a unique look for the countertop. The various mounting options necessitate different sink styles and may even influence the placement of the bar sink faucet you select, so it’s critical to know what type of sink you require before you buy.
1. Drop-In Bar Sinks
Drop-in bar sinks, also known as self-rimming sinks, are designed to be installed from the top down or to drop into the countertop cutout hole.
These are supported by an extended sink lip that rests flat on all sides, despite the fact that the upper edge of the sink has a rounded lip and is not flush with the countertop. Drop-in bar sinks are typically straightforward do-it-yourself projects.
2. Undermount Bar Sinks
An undermount bar sink is linked to the underside of the countertop, with ledges installed just inside the cut-out hole in the countertop. The sink is positioned on the shelves it creates, and the sink edges are glued or secured in place. Because of the weight of the sink, professional installation is recommended.
3. Front Apron Sink
Because of their design, apron front sinks, also known as farmhouse sinks, frequently necessitate professional installation. Because there are only three sides that can connect to the countertop, their weight must be supported from below. They are not as standard in the small dimensions of a bar or prep sink, but there are some designs that are less than 18″ in length and qualify as bar sinks.
Accessories For The Bar or Prep Sink
Another advantage of bar sinks is the variety of accessories available to personalize the experience. Look for prep sinks that can be outfitted with draining racks or cutting boards that can be solidly placed over the sink basin to create flat, usable counter space above the bar sink.
If your plumbing system can handle it, installing a garbage disposal in a prep or bar sink is a good idea. Install soap dispensers or side-sprayers near a bar sink in a countertop layout similar to a standard sink.
Installing a dedicated water filter or a hot water dispenser over the sink is another popular accessory option for prep sinks. All of these are easily installed under the sink and out of the way while still providing practical and stylish kitchen necessities.
Bar sinks are also considered accessories because they can be installed as part of a three-sink layout by incorporating different sink sizes side by side. Outdoor bar sinks can also be installed on the back deck, as part of an outdoor kitchen or patio bar, or even in the greenhouse. Because of their useful smaller size, bar sinks should be considered when replacing or updating RV or travel trailer kitchen sinks.
How Much Does A Bar Sink Cost On Average?
You’re now very interested in purchasing a bar sink for your home, but before you do, you need to know how much money you’ll spend in comparison to the average sink cost. Because they are not particularly large sinks, the price of a bar sink is typically relatively low. However, slightly larger bar sinks, as well as those made of certain materials, may be more expensive.
For example, if you chose a stainless steel bar sink, you might not have to pay more than $50 for the sink itself. If you wanted to customize the size of your bar sink or use a fancy material like copper, the cost would be around $400.
Those prices are only for the sink, not for installation. Installing a sink of average size may cost between $200 and $1,000. For sink installation, the national average is $400.
Because your sink is smaller and easier to install, most bar sink installation jobs will likely cost between $100 and $400. More complex installations, such as placing your sink in the corner of a bar top or kitchen island, may raise the cost.
Final Thoughts
This article thoroughly explains everything you need to know about bar sinks. Every home chef’s dream is to have a bar sink in their kitchen. It serves as a secondary area for preparing ingredients and cleaning up quickly.
It can act as the primary sink in small or outdoor kitchens with limited space, and in bar areas, a prep sink and bar faucet transform a dry bar into a delicious smoothie central. By adding a bar sink, you can increase the value of your home while also increasing the flexibility of your kitchen by creating an additional prep area.
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